Bonner tells students UA has no authority to investigate election

Sunday

Sep 8, 2013 at 12:01 AM

The University of Alabama has no authority to investigate the outcome of the controversial Tuscaloosa municipal election, but if a legal challenge determines students behaved improperly, they will be subject to discipline under state law and the Student Code of Conduct, UA President Judy Bonner said Saturday in an email to students.

By Ashley ChaffinStaff Writer | The Tuscaloosa News

The University of Alabama has no authority to investigate the outcome of the controversial Tuscaloosa municipal election, but if a legal challenge determines students behaved improperly, they will be subject to discipline under state law and the Student Code of Conduct, UA President Judy Bonner said Saturday in an email to students.Kelly Horwitz, the District 4 Tuscaloosa City Board of Education incumbent, has filed a lawsuit challenging her loss in the Aug. 27 election to Cason Kirby. She alleges voter fraud involving UA students.Similar questions have been raised about student involvement in the race for school board chair, but Denise Hills, who lost to Lee Garrison, did not contest the results.“The University of Alabama does not have the authority to investigate the outcome of a municipal election, including allegations about which students chose to vote in that election, for whom they voted or why they cast the votes they did,” Bonner wrote. “As soon as the courts and appropriate state and/or local agencies have completed their investigation and the facts are known, the university will be in a position to take the appropriate action, including an internal investigation if necessary.”The allegations first have to be investigated by the appropriate agencies, Bonner wrote.“If any investigation of voter fraud finds that students were involved in inappropriate activities, the individuals involved will be subject to the penalties associated with violating the voting laws of Alabama,” she wrote. “In addition, students who are found to have violated the Student Code of Conduct will be referred to the Office of Student Conduct for disciplinary action.”Bonner wrote that the university would work with student leaders — “including those in the Greek community” — to ensure students understand their civic responsibilities. Otherwise, she said, it would not be appropriate to comment further.Horwitz has alleged that some students were bribed to vote for her opponent with offers of alcohol and that some votes were cast by voters who were not eligible to vote in the district. The allegations also involve alleged undue influence of the UA Greek community and a secret organization called The Machine.